The Amazon scheme allows shoppers to order items online and pick them up at a growing number of password-protected lockers in local shops and public venues around the country.

Amazon and eBay also offer another scheme called Collect+, which allows parcels to be delivered to participating corner shops if shoppers are unable to be at home to receive them.

Argos said the names of the eBay merchants would be revealed when the trial goes live later this month.

Managing director of Argos John Walden said click and collect now accounts for a third of its business and continues to grow.

Changing how we shop: eBay has announced a tie-up with Argos that puts it in a position to rival Amazon's locker scheme

‘We look forward to assessing the opportunity for Argos to provide fulfilment for eBay’s merchants, including requirements, attractiveness to sellers and consumers, and opportunity for increased customer footfall.’

President of eBay marketplaces Deven Wenig added: ‘The distinction between offline and online shopping continues to blur. At eBay we continue to find new ways to connect buyers and sellers.’

Argos has been hit hard by the downturn because many of its customers do not own their own homes, so have not benefited from the low interest rates more middle-class shoppers have enjoyed on their mortgages.

The firm has also suffered from intense competition from online players and the supermarkets, and was slow to embrace the move to online, stubbornly banking on its catalogue.

However a recent focus on online sales has gone some way to revive the retailer’s fortunes.